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KSC Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) group conducted a stacking exercise with the Launch Abort System (LAS) Pathfinder and Crew Module (CM) Pathfinder. The goal was to evaluate potential spacecraft stacking methods in the Vehicle Assembly Building and to train crane operators, riggers, and technicians. ﻿

Space History Photo: James B. Irwin took this photo of David R. Scott as he gives a salute while standing beside the U.S. flag during the Apollo 15 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA), in August of 1971. http://oak.ctx.ly/r/2kxp﻿

Two dark shadows loom across the banded and mottled cloud tops of +Jupiter in this sharp telescopic view. In fact, captured on January 3, 2013, about a month after the ruling gas giant appeared at opposition in planet Earth's sky, the scene includes the shadow casters. Visible in remarkable detail at the left are the large Galilean moons +Ganymede (top) and +Io. With the two moon shadows still in transit, Jupiter's rapid rotation has almost carried its famous Great Red Spot (GRS) around the planet's limb from the right. The pale GRS was preceded by the smaller but similar hued Oval BA, dubbed Red Spot Jr., near top center. North is down in the inverted image.

One of the Expedition 30 crew members aboard the +International Space Station took this nighttime photograph of much of the eastern (Atlantic) coast of the United States. Large metropolitan areas and other easily recognizable sites from the Virginia/Maryland/Washington, D.C. area spanning almost to Rhode Island are visible in the scene. Boston is just out of frame at right. Long Island and the Greater Metropolitan area of New York City are visible in the lower right quadrant. Large cities in Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) are near center. Parts of two Russian vehicles parked at the orbital outpost are seen in left foreground.

Chandra's image of NGC 3576 (lower-energy X-rays in red, higher-energy X-rays in blue) reveals a cluster of point-like X-ray sources, some of which are massive young stars that are shredding the gas cloud from which they formed. Because NGC 3576 is very dense, many of the young, massive stars visible in the Chandra image have previously been hidden from view. A cluster of stars is visible in infrared observations, but not enough young, massive stars have been identified to explain the brightness of the nebula. Regions of diffuse X-ray emission are likely caused by hot winds flowing away from the most massive stars.